Belagavi: Adding fuel to the controversy over Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's son, Dr Yathindra, allegedly investing crores in benami deals, president of the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party B.S. Yeddyurappa claimed here on Tuesday that his party had documents to show he was also illegally building a diagnostic centre adjacent to the Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital in Bengaluru.
Mr Yeddyurappa was speaking to reporters before heading to the Bharatiya Janata Party state unit’s core committee meeting.
Mr Yeddyurappa claimed that he had proof to show Dr Yathindra was signing cheques for construction of the diagnostic centre.
“Dr Yathindra may have denied any connection with the diagnostic centre, but we have enough records to show that he has been signing cheques on its behalf. We will soon release all the documents, including the cheques, to prove that Dr Yathindra is trying to illegally build the centre in Bengaluru,” he added.
Meanwhile, MLA Balachandra Jarkiholi, who has always opposed Mr Yeddyurappa’s leadership, and another MLA, Umesh Katti were absent at the Bharatiya Janata Party state unit’s core committee meeting held at the residence of Rajya Sabha member Prabhakar Kore.
According to sources, Mr Yeddyurappa had planned to take both men into confidence at the meeting as they were capable of playing a key role in the coming elections
Heated debate
The state unit’s core committee meeting saw a heated exchange of words between Member of Parliament Suresh Angadi and MLA Sanjay Patil over the construction of a processing unit in Belagavi.
It took intervention by Mr Yeddyurappa to calm tempers.
He later claimed that he and Mr Jarkiholi did not attend the meeting due to some personal work and Mr Katti was busy with an ailing relative in Bengaluru.
Siddaramaiah defends Yathindra
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah defended his son Dr S. Yathindra and asserted that political vengeance was behind the complaint filed with the Income-Tax department against him, adding that it was based on false allegations and was far from the truth.
Answering a query by mediapersons near his residence at Sharadadevinagar in Mysuru Tuesday morning, he said, "It is the first time he (Dr Yathindra) has gone on a foreign tour. Is it possible to make investments during the very first visit?"
According to the complaint filed under the Benami Property Transaction Act, money was allegedly routed to offshore accounts and then re-routed to India for development of diagnostic centres by Dr Yathindra and his associates. The Chief Minister added, "This complaint is for the sake of merely making allegations. I don't even know who the complainant is."
“Both the leaders are in touch with me and have assured their full support to the Bharatiya Janata Party,” Mr Yeddyurappa added.
